Electronic apparatus

• US 8,564,938 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Horii, Yasuyuki, Takeguchi, Koichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoa C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cunningham, Xanthia C
• Application Number:
  US13/083,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20110249383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/02 Arrangements of circuit components or wiring on supporting structure

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a casing, a device attachment portion, a pointing device, an attachment member and a button member. The casing includes an outer surface, an inner surface and an opening. The device attachment portion is provided in the casing. The pointing device is attached to the device attachment portion from a side of the inner surface. The attachment member is removably fixed to the casing and covers a part of the pointing device from the side of the inner surface. The button member is attached to the attachment member and includes a base portion, a supporting portion and an operating portion. The base portion is fixed to the attachment member. The supporting portion extends from the base portion. The operating portion at a front end of the supporting portion is fitted in the opening, and exposed to the outside of the casing.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a casing comprising an outer surface exposed to an outside of the casing, an inner surface located in an opposite side from the outer surface and an opening provided across the outer surface and the inner surface;

a device attachment portion provided in proximity with the opening in the casing;

a pointing device attached to the device attachment portion from a side of the inner surface;

an attachment member removably fixed to the casing from the side of the inner surface and covering a part of the pointing device from the side of the inner surface; and

a button member attached to the attachment member,

the button member comprising;

a base portion fixed to the attachment member;

a flexible supporting portion extending from the base portion toward the opening; and

an operating portion which is provided at a front end of the flexible supporting portion, fitted in the opening, and accordingly exposed to the outside of the casing.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base portion is fixed to the attachment member at a position which overlaps the pointing device.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 2, wherein the attachment member is made of metal.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a shock absorbing member fixed to the attachment member, wherein:

the flexible supporting portion of the button member overlaps a part of the attachment member, and the flexible supporting portion and the attachment member lie on either side of the shock absorbing member.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the attachment member comprises a first surface which faces the pointing device, a second surface located on a side opposite from the first surface and a reinforcing portion protruding from the second surface, extends from one end to another end of the device attachment portion to cover a part of the device attachment portion;

and

the reinforcing portion extends in a direction in which the attachment member extends.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the attachment member comprises an insertion hole and a first attachment-error preventing portion;

the base portion of the button member comprises a projection to be inserted into the insertion hole and a second attachment-error preventing portion; and

the first attachment-error preventing portion and the second attachment-error preventing portion engage with each other only when the projection is inserted in the insertion hole from a side of the second surface.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 6, wherein

the second attachment-error preventing portion is a rib provided at an edge of the base portion of the button member.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 6, wherein

the first attachment-error preventing portion is a recess, and

the second attachment-error preventing portion is a rib located at a position corresponding to the recess of the attachment member.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 6, wherein

the second attachment-error preventing portion is a rib,

the rib projects from the base portion in the same direction as the projection.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a device support member attached to the inner surface of the casing and supporting the pointing device;

a switch board attached to the device support member.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operating portion is supported by the flexible supporting portion at one end.

12. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a casing comprising an outer surface exposed to an outside of the casing, an inner surface located in an opposite side from the outer surface and an opening provided across the outer surface and the inner surface;

a device attachment portion, which is provided in proximity with the opening in the casing and to which a pointing device is attached;

an attachment member removably fixed to the casing from the side of the inner surface and covering a part of the device attachment portion from the side of the inner surface;

a flexible supporting portion extending from the attachment member toward the opening; and

an operating portion which is provided at a front end of the flexible supporting portion, fitted in the opening, and accordingly exposed to the outside of the casing.

13. The electronic apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a button member including the flexible supporting portion and the operating portion, wherein

the button member comprises a base portion fixed to the attachment member;

and

the flexible supporting portion extends from the base portion toward the opening.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 12, wherein the pointing device is attached to the device attachment portion from a side of the inner surface and sandwiched between the device attachment portion and the attachment member.

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 12, wherein the pointing device is attached to the device attachment portion from a side of the outer surface.